China’s Defence Ministry confirms reports of corps downsizing

China’s Defence Ministry on Thursday formally announced that five of the PLA’s 18 army corps had been disbanded as part of the ongoing military overhaul.

Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun told a regular press conference in Beijing that unit numbers of the remaining 13 corps had also changed, confirming earlier reports by the South China Morning Post.

The powerful Central Military Commission (CMC) has assigned new numbers for the remaining corps, beginning at 71 and ending at 83.

“The adjustment of the formation of the new army corps is aimed at reshaping the combat units of the land forces, which is a key step towards building a capable and modern army,” Yang said.

The drive is part of a massive restructuring of the military that Chinese President Xi Jinping, who chairs the overarching CMC, introduced in late 2015 aimed at turning the People’s Liberation Army into a more nimble and modern fighting force as China grows increasingly assertive about its sovereignty claims in the Asia-Pacific region and seeks to expand its military prowess overseas.